The top 8 startup events for founders to attend in 2025

Starting a new business can be exciting, but it can also be tough. You’re going to need a lot of information, advice and support, as well as that all-important funding. You’ll also need to be making connections to find new clients and partners, and help your startup grow.

This is why it’s a good idea for startup founders to attend industry events, but which are the best ones to be adding to your calendar?

Read on for a rundown of all the top startup events for founders to attend in 2025. This includes networking events, conferences and industry-specific events, some of which are free to attend.

And if you’re exploring financial solutions for your startup, make sure to check out Wise Business. It’s ideal for companies of all sizes, especially if you have big plans to go global

Get started with Wise Business🚀

8 startup events to sign up to today

As the founder of a startup, your time is precious. This means that if you’re taking time out to attend an industry event, it needs to be worth your while.

However, attending business events can potentially be a springboard to something bigger for your startup - whether it’s a valuable new contact, a lead on funding or advice and support from industry experts who’ve been in your shoes.

Let’s take a look at some of the best startup events founders to attend in 2025, so that you can plan your calendar.

Startup Grind (UK)

Multiple dates and venues - UK

The UK branch of Startup Grind - one of the world’s largest startup communities - holds regular events across various venues across the country.

Events span everything from fireside chats to local meet-ups, along with expert-led talks and virtual workshops. For UK startups, Startup Grind offers a chance to join a thriving community of engaged, like-minded entrepreneurs - both in the UK and worldwide.

The next few events in include:

• AI-Driven GTM Tools & Skill Building That Work in 2025 - 26th August 2025 - virtual event
• August Startup Run Club - 27th August 2025 - Glasgow
• AI Is the Co-Founder You Can’t Afford to Ignore - 23rd October 2025 - Leeds.

You can also check the Startup Grind website for other events in the US, Europe and worldwide.

Sifted Summit

Date: 8th to 9th October 2025 - London

An ideal event for UK tech startups with an eye on European markets, Sifted Summit aims to bring over 3,000 founders, startup and scaleup operators, investors and other key players together under one roof.¹

It’s held at Magazine London in North Greenwich, with this year’s event promising 200+ speakers and 60+ partners and exhibitors.¹ Alongside the keynote speakers and the main conference events, one of the main reasons to attend Sifted Summit are the invaluable networking opportunities.

There are dedicated zones, sessions, side events and even a Sifted Summit mobile app all geared towards helping attendees make genuine connections.

Slush

Date: 19th to 20th November 2025 - Helsinki, Finland

Run by the non-profit organisation the Startup Foundation, Slush is a leading annual startup event - with a particular focus on tech. The event is attended by over 13,000 people each year and brings together founders and investors, as well as other key players in the European startup ecosystem.²

The event may only last 2 days, but it packs in a lot - including 600+ side events, 1,000+ pre-scheduled meetings per hour and over 150 world-class speakers. ²Plus, a startup-investor matchmaking service.

It’s ideal for tech startups looking to learn, share ideas and make valuable connections within Europe and the Nordic region - as well as those hoping to start the process of securing funding.

Web Summit

Date: 10th to 13th November 2025 - Lisbon, Portugal

Held in the stunning Portuguese capital of Lisbon, Web Summit is an exciting annual event for tech startups. It’s one of the leading European tech conferences, attracting over 70,000 tech professionals and 2,000+ startups every year.³

There are a few reasons it's considered to be a must-attend event for startup founders. The first is the long list of illustrious alumni - wildly successful startups like Revolut, Stripe, Uber and even Twitter all had their start at Web Summit events in the past.³

Current events are host to a mix of major brands and corporations, and innovative new startups. Across the three-day conference, you can expect workshops and masterclasses, mentoring, investor meetings, pitching competitions and ample networking opportunities.

North West Expo

Date: 20th November 2025 - Manchester

Held in Manchester’s Etihad Stadium, North West Expo is a fantastic event for entrepreneurs and founders based in the North of England.

It offers everything you’d expect from a major B2B business conference and networking event, including keynote speakers, exhibitors, workshops and learning opportunities. It’s the ideal opportunity for startups to connect with other businesses in the region.

Keynote speakers confirmed so far for the 2025 event include:

• Rob Curtis - an award-winning digital market strategist and entrepreneur
• Errol Lawson - entrepreneur and author of five books on leadership, entrepreneurship and personal development
• Paul Day - business leader, managing director of Filestream Limited and UK data and cybersecurity expert.

World Summit AI

Date: 8th to 9th October 2025 - Amsterdam

If your startup has anything to do with artificial intelligence (AI) or a related tech field, World Summit AI is an event you absolutely need to attend. Held in Amsterdam in October 2025, it’s one of the world’s largest dedicated summits for AI and emerging technology.

Attendees span the full AI ecosystem from startup founders to big tech companies, along with academics, investors, media and business leaders. While the main purpose may be educational, World Summit AI is also a hotbed of networking, partnerships and funding.

World Summit AI is held at the TAETS Art and Event Park, with tickets available from the World Summit website. They aren’t cheap though, as standard tickets start from €1099.⁴

However, this does give you access to all stages, the full expo area, workshops, hackathons and networking areas - plus the AI-powered (of course) event networking app.Some tickets are available at a reduced rate for startups - you’ll need to contact the organisers to find out more.⁴

The Business Show

Date - 12th to 13th November 2025 - London

Another major event in the UK startup and business calendar is The London Business Show, taking place in November 2025 at Excel London. It’s an award-winning event, attended by over 25,000 SMEs and startups.⁵

Founders can benefit from free expert advice, insight from some of the biggest names across multiple sectors, and a chance to network with some of Britain’s best, newest and most innovative Great British businesses.

It’s a great place to get face-to-face experience, seek new partnerships and get the word out about your startup. Best of all, tickets for The Business Show are free.

Network One: Entrepreneurs & Business Builders Meetup

Multiple dates and venues: UK

Business networking and startup events organiser Network One runs a series of events in major cities across the UK, with regular events throughout the year. You’ll find them in London, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds and many other locations.

Held in local venues, each event lasts around 3 hours and is designed to bring together local entrepreneurs, business owners and freelancers in a relaxed setting. It’s a chance to exchange ideas, make contacts and build relationships.

Tickets are available on Eventbrite and are relatively inexpensive, costing up to £30 (with promotions and discounts often available).⁶

💡 You may also like: must-see Venture Capital events

Grow your company and go global with Wise Business

Researching funding options for your startup? You’ll also want to make sure you’re set up with the right business account.

Open a Wise Business account and you can hold and exchange 40+ at once.

You can send fast, secure payments to 140+, and get account details to get paid in 8+ like a local.

Whenever you need to send, spend or exchange foreign currencies, you’ll benefit from the mid-market exchange rate, with low, transparent fees.

You’ll also benefit from all of these features with Wise Business:

• No ongoing fees, minimum balance requirements or foreign transaction fees
• Debit and expense cards for you and your team, which you can use in 150+
• Multi-user access for team members, with ways to control and manage permissions
• Pay up to 1,000 people at once with the Wise batch payments feature
• Integrate with your favourite cloud accounting solutions
• Use the powerful Wise API for automation and streamlining workflow
• Take advantage of Wise Interest to make your funds work harder when you’re not using them (capital at risk).

With a truly global account, you’ll be all set to grow your business worldwide.

Register with Wise Business🚀

---

Sources used:

1. Sifted Summit - Home
2. Slush - Home
3. Travel Perk - 14 Start-up conferences entrepreneurs can’t miss in 2025
4. World Summit AI - Tickets
5. The Business Show - Home
6. Eventbrite - Network One: Entrepreneurs & Business Builders Meetup Birmingham

Sources last checked on date: 25-Jul-2025